That Happiness does not consist in the Knowledge of God by
Faith

HAPPINESS is the perfect activity of the human intellect (Chap. XXVI). But in the knowledge that is of faith,
though there is high perfection on the part of the object so
apprehended, there is great imperfection on the side of intellect, for
intellect does not understand that to which it assents in believing.

2. Final happiness does not consist principally in any act of will
(Chap. XXVI). But in the knowledge of faith
the will has a leading part: for the understanding assents by faith to
the things proposed to it, because it wills to do so, without being
necessarily drawn by the direct evidence of truth.

3. He who believes, yields assent to things proposed to him by another,
which himself he does not see: hence the knowledge of faith is more
like hearing than seeing. Since then happiness consists in the highest
knowledge of God, it cannot consist in the knowledge of faith.

4. Happiness being the last end, all natural desire is thereby
appeased. But the knowledge of faith, far from appeasing desire, rather
excites it, since every one desires to see that which he believes.